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Regulatory Update · 10 July 2026

Malta's STR Licence Validator Is Live — Here's How to Get Your STR Number

By the Lisenza team — Malta-based, and short-let operators ourselves. Part of our regulatory watch: when the MTA publishes, we explain it the same day.

Malta's STR Licence Validator Is Live — How to Get Your STR Number

The Malta Tourism Authority has launched the STR Licence Validator — a new online service at validator.mta.com.mt where Short-Term Rental licence holders can retrieve and verify their STR registration number using their existing MTA licence details. It's a small tool with a big meaning: the separate registration number that EU rules attach to every short-let unit is no longer theoretical in Malta. It exists, and if you hold a licence, yours is waiting.

The short version

  • What launched: an official MTA validator where licence holders retrieve/verify their STR number, and where a licence's validity can be checked.
  • Who should act: every current licence holder — the MTA explicitly encourages all holders to verify their STR number "so the correct number is used wherever required".
  • What it signals: Malta's rollout of the EU-aligned registration number (Regulation 2024/1028) is underway. Display requirements on listings are the logical next step.
  • Not licensed yet? Licence first — applications reopen 27 July 2026. Your STR number follows.

What exactly is the STR number?

It is not your MTA licence number. Under EU Regulation 2024/1028 — applicable across the Union since 20 May 2026 — each short-term rental unit gets a registration number designed to appear on listings, so platforms and authorities can verify at a glance that a property is legitimate. We covered the framework in our overview of Malta's 2026 rules; until now, the open question was how and when Malta would start issuing these numbers. The validator answers the first half: existing licence holders can now retrieve theirs, online, in minutes.

What you should do today (if you're licensed)

  1. Go to validator.mta.com.mt and retrieve your STR number using your MTA licence details.
  2. Record it alongside your licence documents — it's now part of your property's identity.
  3. Check the details tied to it are correct; if something's off, contact the MTA Licensing Directorate before it propagates to platforms.
  4. Hold off on reprinting anything yet: exact display requirements (listings, the entrance sign) are still being confirmed — but have the number ready.

Why acting early matters: platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com are required under the EU regulation to verify registration numbers and remove non-compliant listings as national systems come online. When display enforcement starts, the hosts who already have their number recorded will update a field; the ones who don't will scramble.

What's still to come

Honest picture: the validator is one piece of a rollout. Still pending, by our reading — the Maltese implementing notice detailing the full registration procedure (including for new licensees after 27 July), the exact display obligations on listings and on the entrance sign, and the activation of platform data-sharing with the MTA. We track every MTA publication and update our guides — and Lisenza users' dashboards — as each piece lands. Applying for a licence soon? Our step-by-step application guide covers the full file, fees and timeline for the 27 July reopening.

Your licence, STR number, deadlines — tracked in one place

Lisenza keeps every obligation of Malta's 2026 rules per property — with a dedicated slot for your STR number, reminders before anything expires, and alerts whenever the MTA publishes something new. Free during early access.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the STR number the same as my licence number?

No — it's a separate, EU-aligned identifier. You'll end up with both: the MTA licence number (your permit) and the STR registration number (your listing identifier). The validator exists precisely so you use the correct one where required.

I manage properties for owners — who retrieves the number?

The validator works from the licence details, so whoever holds or administers the licence can retrieve it. If you operate on behalf of owners, retrieve and record the number for each licensed property in your portfolio now.

I'm applying on 27 July — do I need to do anything with the validator?

Not yet. Get the licence first; the STR number attaches to licensed properties. Focus on a complete application file — our guide lists exactly what goes in it.

Where will the STR number have to appear?

On listings, per the EU regulation's design — and Malta's new signage rules reference an official registration/licence number at the entrance. Final specifics are pending; retrieve and record your number now so compliance is a five-minute edit when they land.

This update is provided for general information by Lisenza, an independent product not affiliated with or endorsed by the Malta Tourism Authority. It is not legal advice. Based on the MTA's public notices and Regulation (EU) 2024/1028 as at 10 July 2026 — details of the Maltese implementation may evolve; always refer to official MTA guidance.